Who was Rocky Johnson? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Canadian Celebrities Born In August

Also Known As: Wayde Douglas Bowles

Died At Age: 75

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Dana Martin (m. 2004), Ata Johnson (m. 1978–2003), Una Johnson (m. 1966–1978)

father: James Henry Bowles

mother: Lillian Bowles

children: Curtis Bowles, Dwayne Johnson, Wanda Bowles

Born Country: Canada

WWE Wrestlers Canadian Men

Height: 6'2" (188 cm), 6'2" Males

Died on: January 15, 2020

place of death: Lutz, Florida, United States

Grouping of People: Black Wrestler

Cause of Death: Pulmonary Embolism

Notable Alumni: Stampede Wrestling

Ancestry: Canadian American, American Canadian, Irish Canadian

More Facts

education: Stampede Wrestling

Recommended For You

1

Where did Rocky Johnson train to become a professional wrestler?

Rocky Johnson trained under the guidance of legendary wrestler High Chief Peter Maivia.
2

What was Rocky Johnson's most memorable match in WWE?

Rocky Johnson's most memorable match in WWE was against Greg "The Hammer" Valentine at Madison Square Garden in 1982.
3

What was Rocky Johnson's signature finishing move in the ring?

Rocky Johnson's signature finishing move was the "Dropkick."
4

Which famous wrestlers did Rocky Johnson team up with during his career?

Rocky Johnson teamed up with Tony Atlas to form the iconic tag team "The Soul Patrol."
5

How did Rocky Johnson inspire future generations of wrestlers?

Rocky Johnson inspired future generations of wrestlers by breaking down racial barriers in professional wrestling and showcasing his incredible athleticism in the ring.

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Childhood & Early Life

Rocky Johnson was born as Wayde Douglas Bowles on August 24, 1944, in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada. Son of Lillian and James Henry Bowles, he is a descendant of the Black Loyalists who immigrated to Canada after escaping from US after the American Revolutionary War. He has four brothers.

He was 13 when his father died. His mother turned him out of the house over a tiff he had with her boyfriend. Homeless at such a young age, he braved all challenges and worked hard to survive. At 16, he moved to Toronto and worked as a truck driver. He also began wrestling around this time.

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Career

Initially Rocky Johnson was trained in boxing and he sparred with great boxers like Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. However, he was more fascinated by wrestling, and eventually took it up as a career.

He started his professional wrestling career in 1964, in Southern Ontario. Around the same time, he legally changed his name to Rocky Johnson. The legendary High Chief Peter Maivia was his trainer; he would later become his father-in-law.

Rocky Johnson competed all around the world before he joined National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). By the 1970s he had become a top contender in NWA, having won several regional NWA singles and tag team titles. He also fought title matches against World Champions Harley Race and Terry Funk, but could never unseat either of them from the NWA World Championship.

He was well adapted to tag team wrestling, and won a number of regional tag team championships in NWA. For some years, he wrestled in the Memphis promotion, and fought matches with Jerry Lawler, and won Lawler's crown as well. For some time, he wrestled under a mask as ‘Sweet Ebony Diamond’ in the Mid-Atlantic area.

In 1983, World Wrestling Federation (WWF) hired him, and he fought matches with Don Muraco, Mike Sharpe, Greg Valentine, Buddy Rose, and Adrian Adonis. He was paired with Tony Atlas as a tag team. They were the first black tag team, and were known as ‘The Soul Patrol’.

In a significant Tag Team Championship on November 15, 1983, ‘The Soul Patrol’ defeated Afa and Sika, also known as the Wild Samoans, and became the first person of African-American descent to win the World Tag Team Championship. However, their tag team lasted only for six months. Soon Rocky left WWE after he and Atlas lost the gold. In wrestling, he was an expert in Boston crab and Dropkick.

After Rocky Johnson retired from professional wrestling in 1991, he trained his son Dwayne to wrestle. He had a strong influence in getting Dwayne, also known as ‘Rocky Maivia’ (after Rocky Johnson's and Peter Maivia's ring names) signed to a WWF developmental deal.

Initially, he always had an on-camera presence at his son's matches, and once he had jumped into the ring to save his son from been attacked by The Sultan and The Iron Sheik at WrestleMania 13. However, he was never seen on-camera again after Rocky Maivia character flopped in WWF.

In 2003, Rocky Johnson was hired as a trainer for WWE developmental territory, Ohio Valley Wrestling, for a few months, till May. In 2008, he was inducted into the 2008 class of the WWE Hall of Fame along with High Chief Peter Maivia. His son, The Rock, inducted both them into the Hall of Fame on March 29, 2008.

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Awards & Achievements

Rocky Johnson won the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship thrice, the NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship twice, and NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship twice.

He is also the one-time winner of the NWA Brass Knuckles Championship, NWA Florida Tag Team Championship, and NWA Florida Television Championship.

He was ranked No. 211 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the ‘PWI Years’ in 2003.

Personal Life

In 1962, Rocky Johnson married Una, whom he divorced in 1968. They have a son Curtis, and a daughter Wanda.

In 1970, he married Ata Maivia, the daughter of Samoan professional wrestler, Peter Maivia, who belonged to the Anoa'i family of professional wrestlers who originated from American Samoa.

Rocky first met Ata when he was teamed with her father in a match. Peter Maivia initially disapproved the relationship, as he knew how hard it was for a wrestler’s family to stay at home while the wrestler himself moved from place to place. The couple got married despite his disapproval.

Their son, Dwayne Douglas Johnson, born on May 2, 1972, is today an actor, producer and professional wrestler. Initially Rocky didn’t want his son to take up wrestling as a profession, as it is an extremely difficult line of work. Later, he agreed to train him on the condition that he would be very tough with him.

Rocky and Ata divorced in 2003. He married Dana Martin on January 15, 2004. He now lives in Davie, Florida.

He was the first non-Samoan to be named the ‘High Chief’. He was given the title ‘High Chief Tafiaiafi’.

Rocky Johnson died on January 15, 2020, at the age of 75, at his home in Lutz, Florida.

Facts About Rocky Johnson

Rocky Johnson was known for his unique wrestling style, blending power moves with agility and charisma in the ring.

Outside of wrestling, Rocky Johnson pursued a career in acting and appeared in various films and television shows, showcasing his versatility as a performer.

Rocky Johnson was a trailblazer for black wrestlers in the industry, breaking down barriers and paving the way for future generations of athletes.

Rocky Johnson had a passion for fitness and bodybuilding, often incorporating his training regimen into his wrestling persona, inspiring fans to lead healthy lifestyles.

Rocky Johnson had a close bond with his son, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who followed in his father's footsteps to become a successful wrestler and actor, carrying on the family legacy with pride.

Rocky Johnson Biography

You wanted to know

Where did Rocky Johnson train to become a professional wrestler?

What was Rocky Johnson's most memorable match in WWE?

What was Rocky Johnson's signature finishing move in the ring?

Which famous wrestlers did Rocky Johnson team up with during his career?

How did Rocky Johnson inspire future generations of wrestlers?